Leeds United: Can Leeds rewrite their play-off history?
Leeds United: Can Leeds rewrite their play-off history?
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00:00 Well yes of course 90 minutes in is only half time really which is not what you'd say for normal games.
00:06 If we look at the playoffs as a whole, of course we've mentioned that first tie at Cowra Road there,
00:12 but then of course we'll come to Elland Road in the next game, and should Leeds get through,
00:16 they'll be in a final at Wembley which would be against Southampton or West Bromwich Albion.
00:21 So looking at it as a whole, Lee, you've mentioned the records Leeds have had against those teams so far,
00:27 and let's be honest it's not brilliant when you look at the other two,
00:30 or ignore it, have they actually won against this season?
00:33 So coupling that with the fact that Leeds are not in good form at the moment, how do you see this going?
00:40 I mean, and they just hit that reset button as you mentioned there, or is it a lot more complicated than that?
00:46 It's so hard to say. I think if Leeds rediscover the best, or not even the total best of this season,
00:52 but somewhere near the best, or at least approaching the best,
00:55 I think you could be fairly confident that they could still get this done,
00:58 and ultimately win the playoffs. It would be absolutely enormous,
01:01 because obviously not only would they be back in the Premier League, which is what this is all about,
01:05 it would be the first time in the club's history that they've won the playoffs.
01:07 I mean, they've had an awful record in them, even Marcelo Bielsa's team couldn't get it done in that,
01:11 obviously losing to Derby, go back all the way to the 80s in the old format, and they even lost then.
01:17 So they've got a horrendous record in the playoffs, there's no beating around the bush, the record's terrible,
01:22 but doing David Prutten's column, and he said it himself basically, to a degree, so what?
01:28 The record is the record, it's history, and it shouldn't really actually have any impact on it,
01:33 and it should be, as Daniel Farker said himself now, hitting the reset button,
01:37 and basically tackling a new mini-league really.
01:39 And as I say, you just look at the table, that mini-league based on the season as a whole,
01:43 Leeds are the best side in this new mini-league.
01:45 They finished three points ahead of Southampton, 17 ahead of Norwich,
01:49 with West Brom in the middle of the two. So they are the best side in the playoffs,
01:53 on paper, over the whole season, but not of late in these last six games.
01:59 And that's why it's so difficult at Harborne to get your head around,
02:02 straight away when they're consigned to the playoffs, to look to the odds,
02:05 and Leeds are favourites for the playoffs. The only thing is, they were only just favourites
02:08 at full-time of the game, and already within about a day, Southampton went joint favourites.
02:13 And basically, I think the general perception is, which is probably not necessarily the case,
02:18 is that it will be either Leeds or Southampton who are joint favourites at 13-8,
02:22 and the other two, West Brom and Norwich, are both around about 11-2.
02:25 But it really is a lottery. You know, anything can happen. It's three games, it's two legs.
02:30 I mean, all it takes is one incident and it can completely change.
02:33 So very, very, very hard to call. We mentioned it earlier on,
02:38 but I mean, in terms of the form table, it's quite staggering, really.
02:40 You look at the four teams in it, not one of the four teams are in the top 11
02:44 of the form table over the last six games. So you can say, people can say,
02:49 well, Leeds are going into these in terrible form, and they are, let's be honest about it,
02:52 because of the recent results. But the other three aren't going into it exactly flying either.
02:56 They're in better form than Leeds, yes, but it's not like any of them are sort of like reeled off
03:00 six wins on the bounce going into the playoffs. Norwich, nine points, Southampton, nine points,
03:04 West Brom, seven, and Leeds, four from the last six. So none of them are flying.
03:09 Obviously, Leeds are the ones flying the least, you would say. I agree with that.
03:12 But yes, this is it. Now this is crunch time. And I mean, it goes without saying,
03:16 it's absolutely huge. I mean, if they can get it done and they go up at Wembley,
03:20 I mean, what scenes that would be, it would be absolutely incredible.
03:23 But on the flip side, the pain if they get it wrong, whether it's in the semis or the final,
03:26 would be unbearable. And obviously, then who knows what happens in the summer
03:29 in terms of who they keep and stuff, and anything could happen.
03:32 So, just got to strap up and sort of get ready for it, really, and see what happens.
03:36 It's one of those ones, it's so hard to even call, really.
03:40 I mean, all I can do is look and see what I see in front of me.
03:44 And if Leeds play like they've been playing in the last six games,
03:48 they'll go out in the semis, they won't even get to the final.
03:50 And that's just the truth because you see what's in front of you
03:52 and they're not playing well enough. And the form table tells you that.
03:55 But if Daniel Farr can work the oracle and get them back in business
03:58 before the playoffs, then they could well go all the way and win them.
04:02 So, yeah, I mean, as we said beforehand, the Southampton game could have been
04:07 a success rehearsal for the playoff final. If it is, then even that in itself,
04:10 you worry about that because obviously Southampton have done the double over them,
04:13 like you say. It would be a different game.
04:15 I think Leeds would be a lot more cautious in that.
04:17 But I'll tell you one thing, let's go one step at a time because the position
04:20 Leeds are in at the moment and the form they're in, nobody can be thinking about
04:23 it could be a Leeds-Southampton playoff final.
04:26 The first thing they've got to think about is just getting past Norwich,
04:28 and even that will be very, very difficult. And I've got to say,
04:30 even Southampton-West Brom is no foregone conclusion.
04:34 Obviously, they'll be big favourites to go through over two legs against them.
04:37 But Carlos Corbijn's got them into a very, very good, solid side.
04:41 And all it takes is for them to sort of click and have one of those games,
04:43 and they could end up going through themselves.
04:45 So literally, any of the four could go up. I really do think that, yes,
04:49 Leeds can do it, but they're going to have to get back to somewhere near the best.
04:53 No doubt about that.
04:54 So what you're saying, Lee, is that don't just put your transport to Wembley
04:58 just quite yet, hold off a little bit.
05:00 No, absolutely. Well, this is it. You'd love to be able to do that,
05:03 wouldn't you? But even if it's fully refundable, I wouldn't bother just yet,
05:06 because they really do have to just get back.
05:10 It's so frustrating. We said this the other week,
05:12 because this run's been going on now for the last six games,
05:15 that it's so frustrating because you want to be going,
05:17 even as a journalist covering the club or as a fan or anything,
05:20 you want to be going into it confident and thinking, you know,
05:22 you fancy this team here. But it's impossible to at the moment
05:25 because of the run they're on and the performances, you know,
05:28 and it's there in front of you and you see it with your own eyes.
05:30 So you can't sort of hide from it and nor will fans be hiding from it.
05:33 And, you know, I mean, speaking to a lot of people who are Leeds fans and stuff,
05:37 that there isn't much confidence in the club's playoff bid.
05:40 But why would there be? You know, like they've never won them.
05:42 They've got a terrible record in them and the third bottom in the form table
05:45 of the last six games. So, you know, I don't expect anybody to go into it confident.
05:49 But what you would say is that if they can click and get back to what they're good at,
05:52 you know, or even close to what they're good at during that run,
05:55 then all of a sudden you would be very, very confident.
05:56 And all it takes is one result. You know, if they go to Norwich
05:58 and even play well and draw, let alone play well and get a win
06:02 or even win by a few goals or something, you know, who knows?
06:05 Like, you know, then all of a sudden it could just transform things.
06:07 And obviously they'll have the home crowd at Ellen Road, the second leg.
06:11 Whatever happens, whatever happens in the first leg, they'll have that.
06:13 But, you know, that crowd can obviously work in their favour
06:16 and has done throughout the season, throughout the long unbeaten run.
06:19 But I mean, I remember the derby game in the second leg at Ellen Road
06:22 and it can very, very soon go wrong if things are going wrong.
06:24 So even that can work both ways.
06:26 So the fans have got to stay behind them. They definitely will.
06:29 They always do. The fans are incredible.
06:30 But it's going to be very, very hard.
06:32 As Daniel Farker said, it's a mini league,
06:34 but of which Leeds are the best team on paper because of the points tally
06:37 and probably the best squad as well.
06:39 But it's a mini league in which you could not be confident of at all.
06:42 Very much so.